What a Podiatrist Wants Diabetics to Know About Their Feet

Diabetes is very common, and it is on the rise in our country. It causes problems all throughout the body. Specific to the foot, it can cause problems with the nerves which leads to a numb feeling, tingling, and burning that is often uncomfortable. That can lead to various problems because if you can’t feel your feet, sometimes you don’t know something is wrong. It effects the skin — the hydration of the skin and the strength of the skin. And if the skin is not healthy, then it is common you can get a wound on your foot — sometimes a deep wound that we call an ulcer, which could be dangerous. Because the skin is our barrier from infection, if the skin is breached, you can get a deep infection. If it gets deep enough, it can be catastrophic because it may lead to the loss of your limb or even your life. Proper diabetic foot care is extremely important. It is important to control the diabetes. It is important to inspect your feet daily, and report any kind of concern that might arise in your foot — especially any kind of wound.